Lee Jae-yong, Tae-won Choi, and Euisun Chung's AI-Generated Images Go Viral
Even "200,000 Won" and "1,000,000 Won" Chairman Bills Appear
Chairmen's Assets Hit All-Time Highs Amid Market Surge
As the KOSPI surpassed the 6,300 mark and continued its upward momentum, artificial intelligence (AI)-generated meme images featuring the heads of major conglomerates are heating up the online space. With the soaring stock market as a backdrop, so-called "Chairman Rescue Team Memes" and "Chairman Bill Memes" are spreading rapidly.
On February 27, a series of AI-generated images spotlighting Jae-yong Lee, Chairman of Samsung Electronics, Tae-won Chey, Chairman of SK Group, and Euisun Chung, Chairman of Hyundai Motor Group, appeared across online communities and social media platforms.
Following the widely discussed 'Rescue Team Meme' featuring Chairman Lee appearing in a luxury sports car on a battlefield, a similar image of Chairman Chey Tae-won opening a car door and shouting "Get in quickly!" has also spread. Online community
In a recently circulated image, Chairman Jae-yong Lee is seen extending his hand in front of a rocket labeled "HDM4," saying, "No time to explain, hurry up and get on." This parodies the next-generation high-bandwidth memory (HBM4) and humorously delivers a message encouraging people to "jump on the bandwagon" amid the sharp market rally.
Previously, a meme featuring Chairman Lee in a luxury sports car on a battlefield-the so-called "Rescue Team Meme"-went viral, followed by similar images of Chairman Tae-won Chey opening a car door and shouting, "Get in quickly!" Parodies featuring Chairman Euisun Chung have also emerged, completing the "Big Three Chairmen" meme trend.
"Chairman Bill Meme" Emerges as Asset Values of Chairmen Surge
As the rally continued, the "Chairman Bill Meme" also began spreading rapidly. These images combine the faces of Chairman Jae-yong Lee and Chairman Tae-won Chey onto fictional 200,000 won and 1,000,000 won bills, respectively, commemorating the soaring stock prices of Samsung Electronics and SK hynix. Analysts note that this trend is accelerated by Korea's unique online community culture, where conglomerate leaders are consumed as symbolic figures.
As the upward trend continues, the "Chairman Bill Meme" is also spreading rapidly. It is an image combining the faces of Chairman Jae-yong Lee and Chairman Tae-won Choi on fictional 200,000 won and 1,000,000 won bills, respectively. Online community
The actual rise in stock prices has led to a surge in the asset values of these chairmen. As of the previous day's closing price, Chairman Jae-yong Lee's total stock valuation reached 40.5802 trillion won, an increase of more than 1.8 trillion won in a single day. His holdings of 97,414,196 shares in Samsung Electronics were valued at 21.2362 trillion won. Additionally, with Samsung C&T closing at 360,000 won, the value of his related shares climbed to 12.8479 trillion won.
This marks the first time in Korean stock market history that an individual shareholder has held over 20 trillion won in a single stock. On February 26, the KOSPI closed at 6,307.27, up 3.67% from the previous session. Samsung Electronics rose by 7.13%, SK hynix by 7.96%, and Hyundai Motor by 6.47%. During trading, Samsung Electronics' market capitalization surpassed 1 trillion dollars, overtaking companies like Eli Lilly and Walmart to rank 12th globally by market cap.
Online Reactions Are Mixed... "Should I Get In Now?" vs. "Is This the Peak?"
Online, people are expressing a range of reactions such as, "Should I get in even now?", "Both the memes and the stock prices are at record highs," "If all the chairmen are out, maybe it's already too late," and "When these memes appear, it's usually the market peak." However, some users attribute the current situation to the combination of FOMO (fear of missing out) psychology common in bull markets and the spread of meme culture, which together amplify the viral effect.
In a recently circulated image, Chairman Lee Jae-yong is shown extending his hand in front of a rocket labeled "HDM4," saying, "No time to explain, hurry up and get on." Online community
There are also voices cautioning that these could be signs of overheating and advising vigilance regarding potential increases in volatility. With the stock market continuing to set unprecedented records, it appears likely that the "Chairman Meme" phenomenon will persist for some time, fueled by the intersection of market excitement and online culture.
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